Weekend Getaway – The Netherlands

Happy New Year everyone! It’s been a long time since I last posted up here, but I had some unexpected things going on. Anyway, I am starting the new year rested and determined to make the most of it. And today I’ll share with you my latest travel adventure. If you ever want to bring in some variety into your everyday routine and want a weekend getaway, then keep on reading!

Why the Netherlands?

Well, to be honest my trip was actually related to some very important stuff that had to be done. Nevertheless, Holland is one of the most visited countries in Europe and for a reason – vibrant cities packed with tourist attractions, plenty of various things to do and it is relatively cheap (compared to some other places). And if you are from Europe, then you can use low fare companies like WizzAir, Ryan Air or Transavia. I recently found the latter and they offer cheap flights straight to Amsterdam (we flew for €58!).

Amsterdam

Of course, Amsterdam! It’s needless to say why you should visit this beautiful place! But just in case – the typical North European architecture, the canals, the overwhelming atmosphere are just the beginning. One good thing is that the major sights are within walking distance from each other, so you could pretty much fit your Amsterdam visit in a day/a day and a half. Or at least we did so.

We started out by taking a boat tour and it was the 100 Highlights Cruise by Stromma. In just 1 hour you see the 100 most important sights in the city and you also get a free audio guide. You’ll learn about the history of Amsterdam and learn some interesting facts. Definitely recommend!

The Highlights

Our visit continued with a walk around the city centre – the Dam square, from where we headed to Jordan. Jordan is an art district and is one of the most photo-friendly parts of Amsterdam with the most picturesque canals and fancy cafes/restaurants. Or you can get the best of both worlds and sit for a coffee right by the canals!

A place you cannot miss is the Bloemenmarkt – or the flower market. It stretches along one of the canals and you can find all kinds of souvenirs and plant seeds. Being a basic tourist, I bought some tulip bulbs (but who wouldn’t?). We spent the night at the Red Light District, of course. It is right next to the Dam and it was full of people! There are plenty of attractions there – depending on your taste. For example the Museum of Prostitution or the oldest coffee shop! We, however, limited our RLD tour to just walking around.

Bloemenmarkt

Walking around Red Light District

Festive Amsterdam

Amsterdam is heaven for art lovers, because it has some of the best museums (not only the Van Gogh one ). Some of them are really close to each other – like Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh’s museum. This is probably one of the best options for a rainy day in Amsterdam (and there are plenty of those there). Other museums worth visiting are Body Worlds, Amsterdam Dungeon and the NEMO science centre. To be honest, there is literally something for everyone when it comes to museums!

The majestic Rijksmuseum

Ice rink in front of the Rijksmuseum

Vlissingen

This one isn’t a town you’ll often hear of. It’s very small and it is located on the very south of the country. Right on the coast of the North see, Vlissingen (or Flushing) is a really adorable Dutch town. It has a windmill, a submarine from WW2, a beach where you can take a walk and typical small Dutch houses. It is perfect if you just want to escape the hustle and bustle and take a breath. You can cycle to neighboring Middelburg through a green countryside road. And it is also every photographer’s dream. Unfortunately our camera was dead then, but here are some pretty mesmerizing shots!

Photo: Hart van Vlissingen on facebook

We visited because of the things we had to do, but I was left pleasantly surprised by the charm of this town! And if you had several days at hand here’s an itinerary you should consider: from Amsterdam take the train to Rotterdam. After visiting it, take the train to Vlissingen from where you can get a ferry and then go to Belgium!